Client Alert: Time to Revisit Buy-Sell Agreements in the Wake of the Connelly Decision
In the course of our practice, members of our Tax Section are integrally involved with income tax planning on behalf of all types of business entities, whether they are S or C corporations, partnerships or limited liability companies, foreign or domestic, publicly or privately held. We assist in determining the type of entity which would be most effective in achieving the proposed business goals (from the owner's perspective and with a view to the future plans of the entity) including the possibility of raising capital or engaging in an initial public offering. We work with clients (and, frequently, the client's accountant) to periodically review whether the operation of the business and the various transactions in which the business is involved (whether it be the admission of new owners, the redemption of old owners or distributions to the owners) is being handled in the most tax efficient way possible. We also provide advice on the most significant events in the life of a business, such as mergers, sales of the business or dissolution, in an attempt to minimize and/or defer any income tax resulting from the transaction.
Examples of the types of transactions in which we have provided advice are as follows: